Providing status information for a material

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for providing status information for a material includes obtaining information at least in part from an electronic database order object that has been released from a planning process for execution. The order object defines a requirement for a material. Using the obtained information, status information for the material is determined for a location. A predefined output regarding the material is generated using the determined status information. A graphical user interface for providing status information for a material includes a first input control for user identification of the material, an area presenting information about a status of the material at a location, and a second input control for a user to initiate, after presentation of the information about the status of the material, an action to modify the status.

1 . A computer-implemented method for providing status information for a material, the computer-implemented method comprising: 
 obtaining information at least in part from an electronic database order object that has been released from a planning process for execution, the order object defining a requirement for a material;    determining, using the obtained information, status information for the material for a location; and    generating a predefined output regarding the material using the determined status information.    
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the order object is at least one of: 
 a production order object where the requirement is to produce a first quantity of the material to the location;    a production order object where the requirement is to use a second quantity of the material from the location;    a warehouse order object where the requirement is to move a third quantity of the material to the location; and    a warehouse order object where the requirement is to move a fourth quantity of the material from the location.    
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the information that is not obtained from the order object is obtained from at least one of: 
 an inventory record for the location;    logistics layout information for the location; and    hatch information about the material.    
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein material management is organized in a hierarchy in which the location is subdivided in several sub-locations, and wherein obtaining the information involves information aggregation over the several sub-locations.  
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the status information specifies an amount of the material that is available at the location at a future time.  
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein several released order objects regarding the material are to be executed before the future time, and wherein all of the several released order objects are used in obtaining the information.  
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the status information specifies an amount of time before a supply of the material at the location is depleted absent replenishment.  
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the predefined output is generated to an entity that is registered as a subscriber to the status information.  
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the predefined output is generated in response to a request for the status information received from an entity.  
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the predefined output includes an alert generated upon applying a predefined rule to the status information.  
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , wherein the alert indicates that an order regarding the material that is to be executed at the location is inconsistent with the status information, and wherein the predefined output provides user access for modifying the order.  
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the predefined output comprises automatically modifying an order regarding the material that is to be executed at the location, the order being inconsistent with the status information.  
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the predefined output comprises proposing a cross-docking operation involving the material.  
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , wherein the status information (i) indicates that execution of the order object is to produce a first quantity of the material, and (ii) indicates that, after the first quantity is produced, a second quantity of the material is to be used in executing another order object from which part of the information was obtained, and wherein the cross-docking operation includes obtaining the second quantity from the first quantity without entering the second quantity into stock inventory.  
     
     
         15 . A computer program product tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage device and comprising instructions that when executed by a processor perform a method for providing status information for a material, the method comprising: 
 obtaining information from at least one electronic database order object that has been released from a planning process for execution, the order object defining a requirement for a material;    determining, using the obtained information, status information for the material for a location; and    generating a predefined output regarding the material using the determined status information.    
     
     
         16 . A computer program product tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage device, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, generate on a display device a graphical user interface for providing status information for a material, the graphical user interface comprising: 
 a first input control for user identification of a material to cause information to be obtained from at least one electronic database order object that has been released from a planning process for execution, the order object defining a requirement for the material;    an area presenting information about a status of the material at a location, the information about the status determined using the obtained information; and    a second input control for a user to initiate, after presentation of the information about the status of the material, an action to modify the status.    
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the information about the status of the material specifies at least one of: 
 an amount of the material that is available at the location at a future time; and    an amount of time before a supply of the material at the location is depleted absent replenishment.    
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the action that can be initiated is a replenishment operation to supply an amount of the material.  
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the action that can be initiated is a cross-docking operation involving the material.  
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the action that can be initiated is a modification of an order regarding the material that is to be executed at the location.